Animal trap



A. T. AL'LEN.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLlAc/xr'l'ou FILED SEPT. e, 192|. 3.435.576. Patented Nov. 14,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l; A "HHIA @Hofncq A. T. ALLEN.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 192i. I 1,435,576. Patented Nov. M, i922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IfIllll Patented Nov. 1li, i922.

. nieren stares entrant' orifice.

ASA T. ALLEN, F OCEAN VIEW-V, VIRGINIA.

l.annui/rar. TRAP( j Application filedy September 6, 192,1. Serial No. 498,657.

To all whom t mag/concern: j

Be it'lrnown that I, AsnA T. ALLEN, a citi- `zen of the vUnited States, residing at Ocean l hinge and beingfrightened away.

Invv the invention, I further provide a bait receptacle in the form ofa coop adapted to receive live bait toattract the animal to be trapped.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. y In this showing: j

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trap,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, and,

Figure 3 is a detail view of a portion of the hinged floor.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l designates the base of the trap which is provided with a metal lining 2. The device is provided with vertical walls 3. As shown, a plurality of spaced vertical posts 4 are secured to the base of the trap and these posts are adapted to support metal plates 5 forming the side walls. A door 6 may be arrangedinone side, the door being provided with suitable hinges 7 and being further provided with a lock or catch 8. The vtop of the trap is formed of four corner sections 9 and the spaces between the four corner sections are provided with hinged sections 10. These hinged sections are secured to the corner sections by means of rods or pins 11 passing through hinged members 12 carried by the hinged sections and similar members 13 carried by the corner sections. A guide strip 14 is ar ranged on the inside of the trap, secured to the corner sections, and this guide strip is provided with an inclined face 15 which limits the downward movement of the hinged sections (see Figure 2). A ledge ering of wire netting shown, this ledge is provided with a horizontal flange 17 extending over the hinge.

The inner ends of the hinged sections are provided with diagonal faces 18, adapted to ,Contact with each other, forming a central space 19.

A'post 20 is arranged in the center of the trap, being secured'to the base by means of suitable brackets 21. This post is adapted to support the bait receptacle 22 which, as

shown, is made in the form of a coop having a bottom23 Ato which are secured corner posts 24. The coop is provided with a covv 25, and with a suitably hinged top 26. Ilhe bottom of the bait receptacle extends slightly beyond the corner posts, and is surrounded by a plate 27 forming a trough 28 for the reception of suitable bait. rlhe hinged sections may be j provided with counter weights 29. 1' In operation the animal'to be trapped is attracted by a live fowl placed in the bait receptacle 22. The animal reaches the top of the trap adjacent the outer edge and starts inwardly. To clear the ledge 16 and the flange 17, it is necessary for the animal to step upwardly before reaching the hinges 11. It has heretofore been proposed to employ concealed hinges to keep the animal from suspecting that an effort is being made to trap it. After the weight of the animal causes the top of the trap to sag adjacent the hinges and when it cautiously approaches over a level surface, it is able to note this sagging and be frightened away. When the animal, however, jumps upon the flange 17 which is rigidly supported on the corner piece 9, there is no tendency to give and when it steps downwardly on the inner portion of the hinged sections, he is immediately trapped.

he provision of a bait receptacle in the form of a coop is also advantageous as the live bait tends to attract animals that would not otherwise be attracted.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subj oined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An animal trap comprising a receptacle having a top, ormedof .plurality of sections hinged intermediate their ends, a ledge arranged on the top of the receptacle adjacent the hingsyand'a bait "iecepf` tacle arranged in the center of the top. l

2. A self-set and ever-set trap comprising a receptacle having a ,top formed of a plu-` rality of sections hinged at apoint interinediate the` outeredge and the y.center ,of the receptacle, a ledge arranged overl said hinged sections adjacent the.; point of support, a flange secured to saidledge, yanda bait receptaclelarranged in thecenter of the'top.

3.A A self-set and e'verset trap comprising aareceptacle having a bottom and vertical Walls, the top of the receptacle being formed of a plurality of corner sections, and `hinged sections, hinges connecting" said corner sections andsaid hinged -sections at a point remote from the lvertical Walls; a ledge secured to said corner sectionseadjacentisaid hinges,a lange formed on said ledge and extending over said hinges, and a bait re ceptacle arranged 4in lsaid top siibstantially. centrally thereof.f

4. A self-set and said top being formed of corner sections secured kto said vertical walls, hinged sections ever-set trap comprisinga `bottomv and vertical `Wallsand a top,

"raiged at a'fdistance 'from said vertical Walls,

a flange secured to said corner sections and disposed adjacent said hinges, a post secured tothe bottom of the trapsubstantially cen- Vtrally'thereof"and lextending to the top, and

a bait receptacle mounted on said post.

45. An animaltrap 'comprising a/recepta'cle includingabottoni` andslde walls, a cover `forming" the `to'p of.' said receptacle7 said cover" being. provided Withfa hinge interme- Idiate its ends; incans for normally maintaining saidcover inclosedposition7 and a fixed sdb'staln'tally verticalledge arranged entirely across. said cover, the lower edge of `said ledge `.being arranged in proximity' to said cover whenV the latter 1s in closed po` sition VYand being disposed adjacent said hinge, saidle'dge being provided With a substantially horizontal flange extendingon op- ,posite sides ofthehinge of said cover.

y 4In'testiri'iony' whereof I affix my signature in' presence Vof two Witnesses.`

` y ASA T. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

SWANN, HENRY HUNSBRG'ER. 

